Harare (New Ziana) – The government is in the process of establishing the Tertiary Education Service, which will administer affairs of technical, vocational and teachers’ colleges.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Amon Murwira confirmed the development, saying it was in line with the amended Manpower Planning and Development Act, which was signed into law on May 21, 2021.
“The Act provides for the establishment of the Tertiary Education Service to run polytechnics, industrial training colleges and teachers colleges,” he said.
He said the Service, which will be similar to the Health Services Board which caters for conditions of service for health personnel, will be responsible for the governance, infrastructure, workforce and the development of syllabi for tertiary institutions.
“In fact, it will run everything in relation to tertiary education in the country,” he said.
Murwira said the establishment of the Tertiary Education Service was progressing well and had reached an advanced stage.
“They are actually running their strategic planning workshops in Mutare as we speak,” he said.
The Tertiary Education Service will be controlled and managed by a board, known as the Tertiary Education Council.
Sources close to the development said the Ministry had since seconded some of its staff to set up systems for the Council.
“They took one person from Administration, one from the Human Resources department and one from Accounts,” he said.
The Council will be responsible for appointing persons to tertiary institutions, assign and promote them to offices, posts and grades and to fix their conditions of service.
It will also inquire into and deal with complaints made by members, exercise disciplinary powers on members, formulate, develop and implement measures and policies designed to co-ordinate and integrate the functioning and operations of members of the institutions.
The Council will also provide and promote efficient professional services by members of tertiary institutions.
It will consist of a secretary, who will be an ex-officio member, and not less than five and not more than nine, members appointed by the Minister in consultation with the President.
Members will be appointed for their knowledge of, and experience in academia, business-related fields, engineering, human resource management and law.
Some of the functions of the Tertiary Education Service Council will be to appoint persons to tertiary institutions, to assign and promote them to offices, posts and grades, and to fix their conditions of service.
It will also inquire into and deal with complaints made by members, exercise disciplinary powers in relation to members, formulate, develop and implement measures and policies designed to co-ordinate and integrate the functioning and operations of members of tertiary institutions.
New Ziana
